Iraq’s negotiations to join the WTO are ongoing:
Minister of Trade Atheer Dawood Al Ghurairi confirmed on Monday that Iraq’s negotiations to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) are ongoing, while stating that regional cooperation and integration are the path to achieving peace, stability, and sustainable development.
“Al-Ghuriri participated in the sixteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), held in Geneva with broad participation from representatives of countries and international and regional organizations,” according to a statement from the Ministry of Trade received by the Iraqi News Agency – INA.
According to the statement, the Minister affirmed that “collective action and regional integration represent a fundamental pillar for building a more stable and equitable economic system in light of the transformations and challenges facing the world,” emphasizing that “open regional agreements can support the multilateral trading system and promote sustainable development.”
“Iraq, which is continuing its negotiations to join the WTO, views regional initiatives as an opportunity to enhance its institutional readiness and align its legislative and investment frameworks, enabling it to effectively integrate into the global economy,” Al-Ghurairi noted.
He explained that “regional integration represents a pillar of development and reconstruction, and that cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, simplifying customs procedures, encouraging investment, energy, agriculture, and services contributes to enhancing competitiveness and diversifying the national economy.”
The Minister praised UNCTAD’s significant role in supporting Iraq during its accession to the WTO, stressing that “regional cooperation and integration are the path to achieving peace, stability, and sustainable development.”
